75 years since prohibition ended but not for all

December 3, 11:16 AMNorthern Colorado Beer Examiner'Chipper' Dave Butler

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We Americans tend to take our rights for granted at times. The liberties and freedoms we enjoy today we had to fight for, including our right to drink a beer when we feel like it.

It was back in the early 1920s that the 18th Amendment took away our right to drink alcohol. It wasn't until years later in 1933, that the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution gave it back to us. And while this week America observes the 75th anniversary of Repeal Day on December 5th we should keep in mind that our rights can be subject to change at any time. It is up to us to protect our rights and ensure that they stick around for a long time.

Colorado became "wet" once again 75 years ago this week. But did you know that not all of Colorado alcohol consumption until 1969? Just 49 miles north of Denver in the 12th largest city in the state, things were still dry for 46 years after prohibition ended.

Greeley remained dry

Greeley Colorado was founded back in 1870 as a planned religiously oriented utopian society where only the most morale and temperate of people would be allowed to live. Horace Greeley (pictured above) hand selected the people who would migrate out to live at the Union Colony or also known as the "Union Temperance Colony". Residents were required to be literate and live a life without alcohol as well as pay a $155 fee membership fee.

And for over 99 years, the Union Colony which later became the city of Greeley, remained dry. No alcohol was allowed to be sold or consumed in the city by charter. Citizens of Greeley had to go to towns like Rosedale (now defunct) or Garden City to purchase alcohol.

It wasn't until November 5, 1969 during a city election that the city finally voted to allow liquor sales in Greeley. There was a long furious battle that year between dry groups "Keep Greeley Great" led by churches and religious groups and wet groups "Help Greeley Grow" led by the then mayor Dorothy Zabka and water pioneer W.D. Farr.

In the end, the pro-liquor groups prevailed and the city voted to allow liquor sales by a narrow 477 votes. Greeley ushered in the 1970's with legal liquor at last. One reason the law passed was because Greeley was losing too much tax revenue to Garden City and the city needed the money, that and Greeley residents values had finally changed over time. Unfortunately for Dorothy Zabka, she was voted out of office that year as well.

Celebrate your right this week

Citizens of Colorado should plan to celebrate this week and help support their local pubs, liquor stores, restaurants and breweries and enjoy a Colorado-made beer. For who knows if we will always have this right. I doubt our government will ever be fully able to take it away again. The 18th amendment failed miserably and America rebelled.

Our drunk driving laws continue to get tougher and tougher each year and the penalties for violating the laws are getting stiffer and more expensive. While our laws do their best to discourage excessive drinking, they are also leaning back towards inhibiting our rights to enjoy alcohol responsibly. Don't let Prohibition happen again! Enjoy your right, but do so in moderation please.

Related articles:
- Should 18 be the proper age to drink beer?
- Best liquor stores in Colorado for beer.